Beal Panna

Beal Panna

    গরমে শরীর ঠান্ডা রাখতে, পেট ভাল রাখতে, সুস্থ থাকতে খেতে পারেন সুস্বাদু বেলের পানা।

Bel or wood apple is considered as an ancient or divine fruit in India. This fruit is very famous during Maha Shivratri time (A Hindu festival).

Summer special - Bael Fruit/Wood Apple squash/juice. Bael is very well known all over the India for its amazing health benefits, medicinal benefits. Bel contains protein, vitamin C and B complex and tannin. The Bael fruit, in actuality, is an herb with the botanical name of Limonia acidissima

Ingredients

1 big ripe bel fruit (wood apple)

Sugar or grated jiggery to taste (here used jiggery)

½ liter milk or Curd

½ tsp of elaichi powder

3 cups of water

A pinch of salt

Preparation method

First break the hard cover of the bel fruit now scoop the flesh of the fruits in a bowl. Now add water and soak it for 15 – 20 minutes than slowly mash it by using your palms gather and squish the pulp to separate the seeds and juice the pulp. Then slowly smash it with smooth hands.

Now Add a pinch of salt, elaichi powder, curd or milk (Here I used curd) and jiggery. Run the juice in a mixer but make sure it is completely de seeded. Otherwise use your hand to blend it.

The consistency of bael panna is bit thick then the regular drink but if you want the consistency to be lighter add more water and jiggery / sugar according to your choice.

Aam Kalakand

 

Aam Kalakand

Mango is the king of fruits and it can be used to make various dishes and one of them is mango kalakand. Mango kalakand is very delicious and can be prepared and served in any festival and especially Bangalore is the best place to get various type of mango in whole South India. 

This is very well know recipe for all, but today I made it in my way with simple three main (Chenna, condensed milk, mango  pulp) ingredients – Aam Kalakand!  Let try for it.

Ingredients:
2 cup (approx 200 gms) homemade paneer/chenna (procedure included for 1 ltr full cream milk)

200 grams sweetened condensed milk

Mango pulp 1 cup (without threads)

2 cup sugar

100 grm milk powder

1 tsp cardamom powder

1/2 tbsp ghee for greasing

Silver warq 1 sheet

Procedure for homemade panner / Chenna:
Boil 1 ltr full cream milk and curdle it with 1 tbsp vinegar or 1/2 tbsp lemon . Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. Strain the liquid and hold the chenna in a muslin cloth. Lightly wash the chenna with drinking water to do away with the smell of vinegar or lemon. Now tightly tie the muslin cloth and strain the excess water for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Procedure:
Take the chenna or paneer and milk powder and  mix well with your hands till the mixture is well blended and the chenna is completely crumbled. Now transfer the same mixture to a nonstick pan and add the mango pulp, sugar and condensed milk on medium flame and Cook the mixture till it gets thick and looks like mawa and till the mixture reaches the consistency of making a burfee. Now add the cardamom powder and stir for 2-3 more minutes. 

Grease a serving plate with ghee and transfer the mixture onto the plate. With the help of a knife or spatula, smoothen out the mixture to form a square shape of 1/2" thickness. Cut the square into equal sized smaller squares. This is just to make the marks for easier serving later on. Garnish each small square with chopped pistachios or raisin and let it cool at least for 2 hour to set it and decorate with silver warq before serving.

Chakhwi - Bamboo Shoot Curry

Chakhwi - Bamboo Shoot Curry

Chakhwi is one of the very traditional and very delicious and healthy preparations of the Tripuri cuisines. The people whoever had tasted once to some of the preparation they could not but tested it for life. Some of the Tripuri dishes have become a regular feature in non-Tripuri family also. One of the most important ingredient of Tripuri cuisine is Berma and Pork , Berma is basically fermented dried puthi fish. The flavor of the Berma is not very pleasant, but when cooked its flavor is mouthwatering and appetizer for Tripuri people. But this recipe is purely VEG. Main ingredients of the veg chakhwi is Bamboo Shoot, Green Papaya and verities of lentil.

Large number of Tripuri cuisine is prepared without oil. In that health point of view it is very good even for those who are restricted to take fatty and oily food. Some of the Tripuri cuisine are listed below: Awandru, Bwtwi, Chakhwi, Chakhwtwi, Chakhwtwi Kwthwng, Thokni Chakhwi, Berma bwtwi, Chatang, Mosodeng, Deng, Gudok,  Bhangui, Muitru, Hontali, Muhr, Mwkhwi, Napek, Peng, Rabra, Ruk, Ser, Sok, Yohk, Yaksapik . But most of the Tripuri household serves genuine Bengali Food too.

Ingredients:
Bamboo shoots: 500 gm.
Jack fruit seed :100 gm.
Green papaya:100 gm.

Drumstick Leaf 1 bunch

12 types of lentil – total 200 grm
Backing soda:2 tea spoon full.
Green chili:10 no.
Ginger:50gm.

Turmeric powder: 1 tsp.
Fresh Lemon leaves:12 no.
Rice flour: 2 tsp (30-40 gm.)

Ghee – 4 tbsp

Red chili- 1 or two pieces

Black pepper powder as per test

Salt as per test

Preparation:
Peel off the bamboo shoots, cut the tender part of shoots into small piece of 1-2 cm. each. Take the skin of he green papaya, cut into small piece of 3-4 cm. Peel of the skin of the jack fruit seeds, soak it in water for 15 minutes, remove the red covering of the seeds, cut it longitudinally into two half. Soak all the lentil in water for 3-4 hours, Make the ginger to finely chopped, tear of the lemon leaves into two parts. Prepare liquid paste of the rice flour in a small bowl and keep it aside. split the chili remove the seeds.
Procedure:
1. Take 2Ltr of water in a big pan/karaih. Add two spoon of baking soda, bring it to boil for 5 minutes. Remove the foam slowly by serving spoon that is formed.
2. Add salt to taste, one spoon of turmeric continue to boil, add splitted green chili and chopped ginger, allow it to boil for 3 minutes.
3. Add the bamboo shoot , all lentil, jackfruit seeds and salt. Keep the burner medium to high flame. Boil it for another 15 minutes.
4. Pour papaya and fresh drumstick leaf in the pan continue to cook for 20 minutes, cover with lid.
5. Bring down the flame to simmer, add the rice flour paste in the pan, slowly stir the curry simultaneously. Cover with lid, keep it for 5 minutes.
6. Add the torn fresh lemon leaves and black pepper powder. Mix it properly in the curry, cover with lid, keep for 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from the fire, transfer to a serving bowl and 4 tbsp Ghee, serve warm with rice.

 

Note: If you want to make Non-veg CHAKHWI than add pork medium pieces instead of papaya.


Recipe By : Manna Majumder
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Mushroom Butter Mashala

                                            


Mushroom Butter Mashala

Ingredients:

250grms Mushroom (boild & golden Fry)
medium Onions, finely chopped (optional)

1½ teaspoons chopped Ginger

3-4 Garlic Cloves (optional)

 3 medium Tomatoes

 6-8 Cashew Nuts, soaked in water for 15 minutes

 1 small piece of Bay Leaf

 2 Green Chillies, slit lengthwise

 1/2 cup Full Fat Milk

 2 teaspoons Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)

 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder

 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder

 1 teaspoon or to taste Red Chili Powder

 2 tablespoons Fresh Cream (or homemade malai)

 2 tablespoons Butter

 2 tablespoons Oil

Salt to taste.

Method3-4 Garlic Cloves
3 medium Tomatoes
6-8 Cashew Nuts, soaked in water for 15 minutes
1 small piece of Bay Leaf
2 Green Chillies, slit lengthwise
1/2 cup Full Fat Milk
2 teaspoons Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
1 teaspoon or to taste Red Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Fresh Cream (or homemade malai)
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste.
3-4 Garlic Cloves
3 medium Tomatoes
6-8 Cashew Nuts, soaked in water for 15 minutes
1 small piece of Bay Leaf
2 Green Chillies, slit lengthwise
1/2 cup Full Fat Milk
2 teaspoons Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
1 teaspoon or to taste Red Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Fresh Cream (or homemade malai)
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste.
Grind onion, ginger and garlic in a grinder and make onion paste. Grind soaked cashew nuts with 2 tablespoons water to make cashew nut paste. Blanch the tomatoes and blend them to prepare tomato puree.
Heat cooking oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium flame. Add onion paste and bay leaf and sauté until onion paste turns light brown for approx. 4-5 minutes.
Add green chilli and red chili powder and sauté for 30-40 seconds. Add cashew nut paste.Stir and cook for 2-minutes.
Add tomato puree and cook until oil starts to separate from the puree, it will take around 3-4 minutes.
Add coriander powder and garam masala powder and mix well.
Add 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water and salt; mix and cook until oil comes on the surface or for approx. 4-5 minutes.Add fried mushrooms, kasuri methi and cook for approx 2-minutes or until you get the desired consistency of gravy.
Add fresh cream.Mix properly and turn off the flame.

Grind onion, ginger and garlic in a grinder and make onion paste. Grind soaked cashew nuts with 2 tablespoons water to make cashew nut paste. Blanch the tomatoes and blend them to prepare tomato puree.

 Heat cooking oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium flame. Add onion paste and bay leaf and sauté until onion paste turns light brown for approx. 4-5 minutes.

 Add green chilli and red chili powder and sauté for 30-40 seconds. Add cashew nut paste.Stir and cook for 2-minutes.

 Add tomato puree and cook until oil starts to separate from the puree, it will take around 3-4 minutes.

 Add coriander powder and garam masala powder and mix well.

 Add 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water and salt; mix and cook until oil comes on the surface or for approx. 4-5 minutes. Add fried mushrooms, kasuri methi and cook for approx 2-minutes or until you get the desired consistency of gravy.

 Add fresh cream and mix properly and turn off the flame. Serve with Polao, plain rice or paratha.
Recipe By : Manna Majumder
You can vist FB page - https://www.facebook.com/bengalikadai
Grind onion, ginger and garlic in a grinder and make onion paste. Grind soaked cashew nuts with 2 tablespoons water to make cashew nut paste. Blanch the tomatoes and blend them to prepare tomato puree.
Heat cooking oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium flame. Add onion paste and bay leaf and sauté until onion paste turns light brown for approx. 4-5 minutes.
Add green chilli and red chili powder and sauté for 30-40 seconds. Add cashew nut paste.Stir and cook for 2-minutes.
Add tomato puree and cook until oil starts to separate from the puree, it will take around 3-4 minutes.
Add coriander powder and garam masala powder and mix well.
Add 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water and salt; mix and cook until oil comes on the surface or for approx. 4-5 minutes.Add fried mushrooms, kasuri methi and cook for approx 2-minutes or until you get the desired consistency of gravy.
Add fresh cream.Mix properly and turn off the flame

Posto Bada /Bora



Posto Bada /Bora

Posto Bada (poppy seed balls) is one of the many types of bora in Bengali cuisine. It can be served both as a snack or with a full meal. It can be prepared very easily with readily ingredients such as poppy seeds, coconut & rice flour making it healthy & delicious

Ingredients

Posto (poppy seeds) : 200 gm

Coconut : ½ cup (grated)

Potato: 2 midium size (Boiled)

Rice / Bengal gram flour : 2 tbsp

Salt : to taste

Sugar : to taste

Green chilli chopped/ paste : 1 tbsp

Oil : for frying

Method

Mash the boiled potato.

Mix potato mash, post(popy seeds)o, grated coconut, rice flour, salt, sugar, chopped green chilli in a bowl.

Take 2 tbsp of the Posto mixture & press by palms & keep aside. Like this give all the mixture pakora shape.

Heat oil in a wok.

Deep fry the pakoras till golden brown.

Take out from the oil & serve with steamed rice.
Recipe By : Manna Majumder
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Dahi Karela (Bitter Gourd with Curd)

Dahi Karela (Bitter Gourd with Curd)

Ingredients:

1 large bitter gourd

5 tbsp curd

Salt to taste.

3 tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp methi seeds

2 Tej pata (Bay leaf)

Pinch hing

1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional)

3 pieces half silted green chili

Method:  

Wash and cut the gourds into roundels.

 Wash and squeeze out the water.

 Marinate with salt, and black pepper for about 30 minutes.

Now these are ready to be made into the desired dish

Heat ghee.

Add the bay leaf, methi seeds (fenugreek Seeds) and hing.

Add the gourds and turmeric powder (optional) sauté till the moisture is absorbed from these.

Add the beaten curd , salt  and mix it well Once the curd are mixed, add 1/2 cup water and let the gourds cook till tender.

You might need more or less water depending on how thick the gourd slice is, also depending on the quality of the gourd.

The Japanese gourds are very tender and cook fast, but may be in India I would need to add more water and cook longer and it semi thick gravy and serve with white rice .




Author : Manna Majumder
Recipe By : Dipti Rani Nandi Majumder
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Dheki-r Saag

      
                              

Dheki-r Saag

Dheki saag looks quite like fern and come in bundles in eastern part of India.
You will need two bundles. Remove the stems and discard. Break off the soft top portion of the stem and the leaves and chop them. Wash the saag very well and drain off water.

 Ingredients:

Dheki Saag  2 bundles

Green Chilly,slit 2-3

Methi Seeds

Dry red chili- 12 pieces.

Roasted hyacinth bean dry seeds (sheem-r shukno bichi)

Potato 1 mediam

Brinjal 1small

Refined Oil 4 tbsp

Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp

Salt as per taste

Method:

Wash under running water. Drain off the water and Chop the saag. Make small cubes of 1 large Potato or 1 medium Brinjal.

Roast the hyacinth bean dry seeds (sheem-r bichi) then boil with salt until become soft , now peel the skin and keep aside.

Now heat 2 tbsp refined oil in a wok and fry the brinjal pieces and remove . Do the same with the potatoes till golden.

Now again heat 2 tbsp refined oil and add methi seeds and dry red chili. Now add the saag and stir it for some time. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Mix all well. Then add the roast the hyacinth bean dry seeds (sheem-r bichi), fried brinjal and green chili and cover. Let the saag cook in its own juices.

Remove cover and cook stir frying till the saag mixes well with the soft brinjal cubes and dry been seeds. Serve with plain rice.
 
Author : Manna Majumder

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Sheem-Bori Chorchori

            

Sheem-Bori Chorchori

Sheem-Bori- chorchori (Hyacinth bens and sundried lentil dumplings )  is a very typical Bengali dish. chorchori  means when you combined 2 or 3 vegetable with  mustard paste and  Bori (fried lentil dumplings)  with aromatic spices, the dish called chacchori.  But here I did not use mustard paste for this recipe. You will hear about various types of charchori all the time in Bengali cuisine and  is very flavorful and unique in taste.

Chorchori has a wide range from pui chorchori (Malabar spinach medley ), Sojne chorchri (Drumstick Medley),  Palong Shaak-er Chorchori (Spinach  medley) to sheem chorchori (Hyacinth bens medley).

Ingredients:

200gm Hyacinth bens / Mangetout (Sheem) (Washed)

1 or 2 Green Chillies

3-4 tablespoons of Oil : Sunflower oil/ Mustard oil (preferred)

Bori(sundried lentil dumplings): 10-15 pcs

Turmeric powder (Halud/Haldi): 1 tea-spoon

Red chili powder : ½ tes-spoon

Methi seeds(Fenugreek seeds) / Panch phoron– 2 pinch

Bay leaf -2 piecies

Coriander leaf

Sugar: 1/2 tea-spoon (optional)

Water

Salt to Taste

Method:

Dice the sheem in small pieces and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the bori until they start getting little red but make sure they are not burnt.

Now add some more oil and add  the methis seeds / Panchphoron to fry little bit. Also, add the dry red chilies and bay leaf at this time.

Then, add both sheem along with turmeric powder, chili powder and salt and mix well to cook by itself. Put a lid over the frying pan to cook and soften faster.

Cook in low medium flame/low medium heat and check regularly for 15-20 minutes whether the vegetables have softened well.

Now add the fried bodi and mix well with little water to just cover them and again put a lid over the frying pan to cook and soften faster. Add the sugar and mix them well. Keep it on the heat and keep mixing until it stuck at the base.

The food is now ready. Garnish with coriander leaf and served.
Author : Manna Majumder

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Maan kachu Bata

Maan kachu Bata

Maan kachu Bata (MALANGA COCO / BIG TARO ROOT) is one of the favorite and mouthwatering dish in Bengali households recipe. Bata is essentially some paste which are very simple, and easy to digest. You will hear about various baata’s all the time in Bengali cuisine.

This is high content of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and vitamins make malanga root with high nutritional value. In Bengali we called it 'Maan Kochu'. A traditional and luscious recipe.

Traditionally bata always involves mustard paste, green chilies and a generous amount of mustard oil in it. Mainly freshly grated coconut also plays an important role kachu bata.

Ingredients:

250grm. maan kochu (Malanga coco / taro root)
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut

1 tsp. mustard seeds
2-3 hot Thai green chilies (I put some ripe red ones along with it)
6-8 garlic cloves (optional).
2 tbsp. mustard oil
Salt to taste
2 dry red chilies.

Maan kachu

Method:

With a sharp knife, cut off the rough outer rind of the maan kachu and wash thoroughly. Now slice it into pieces. Grate or chop maan kachu nicely. Take the grated taro root on a big strainer or colander and put it under running  water. Once you are done with rinsing squeeze out any excess water out of it. This step prevents the itching in the throat.

In a grinder make a past of mustard with dry red chilies with a pinch of salt and keep it aside.

Now grind grated malanga coco, grated coconut, together. Now again add the mustard paste and two green chilies and grind everything together to make a smooth paste. The paste will be thick and not slurry   Pour grinded taro root in a bowl.  Drizzle mustard oil in it. Stir with a spoon and mix nicely. Serve with steamed rice and enjoy this mouthwatering Bengali delicacy on your lunch table.

Note:  If you like garlic, add 6-8 garlic cloves while grinding all the ingredients together. 

Author : Manna Majumder

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Lal Shak / Laal Saag

Lal Shaak / Laal Saag

Lal shak / saag also called Red Spinach / Amaranth leaves / Chinese spinach. They are very rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium & iron. It is low in calories by volume, but high in protein per calorie. 374 mg calcium per 100 grm. It can be eaten as stir fry or in the soup. They are really very delicious.


                             
Traditionally, a Bengali full meal usually a lunch has to have a shak or leafy vegetable on the side, Lal shak bhaja or stir fried Red Spinach (Amaranths) is a simple recipe that is a favorite at home and served with Steamed Rice and Daal . Made very simply, it is just the garlic that gives a flavor that goes so well with the distinct flavor of these leaves.



Ingredients:

Lal Shak / Red Spinach / Amaranth leaves - 1 bunch
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp ( I use Mustard oil )
Whole dry red chillies - 2
Garlic cloves - 5, crushed

Green Chili- 2 pieces
3 pieces of hyacinth bean or small pieces eggplant(optional)
Salt - to taste

Ifyou don't like garlic, you can try this with a tempering of kalaunji / nigella seeds and dry red chilies or fresh green chilies.



Lal Shaak / Laal Saag- Bengali Recipe

Method:

Cleaned and chopped finely the lal shak / saag  and make small cubes of  hyacinth bean  or eggplant.
Heat oil in a wok  / kadahi. Add the whole red chilies (break them first or they might burst ) and  half of the crushed garlic.  Now fry hyacinth bean little and then add the chopped leaves and rest of the crushed garlic.
Stir well. Add salt and green chili, cover and cook. Remember to stir once in a while so that it does not burn. When it is done and all water had dried up, remove cover and give a final stir.

Serve hot. Goes best on the side with hot rice and dal.

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